Motive-power engine.



No. 706,494. Patented Aug. 5, I902.

M. T. MINOGUE.

MOTIVE POWER ENGINE.

(Application filed June 5, 1901.) (No Model.)

2 Sheets-$heei I.

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Patented Aug. 5, I902.

m. T. mmoeue.

MOTIVE POWER ENGINE.

(Application am June a, 1901.)

. 2- Sheets-Sheet 2 (No Model.)

r: NORM! Patna ca. mc'roufm, vnsummon n c UNITED STATES {PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN T. MINOGUE, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO SIMEONF. PIERQE, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

MOTlVE-POWER ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 706,494, dated August5, 1902.

Application filed June 5, 1901.

T aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN T. MINOGUE, a' citizen of the UnitedStates,residing in Springfield, Ohio, haveinvented certain Improvementsin Motive- Power Engines, of which the following is a specification. I

My invention relates to that class of engines in which are employed aseries of cylinders, each with reciprocating piston, said cylindersbeing mounted so as to turn around an axis parallel with thecylinder-axes, the objects of my invention being to construct a simpleand effective form of engine-of this type which can employ steam, air,or other motive fluid under pressure or can operate as an expjlosive-engine, using as motive fluid a mixture of air and gas or air andhydrocarbon vapor. 1

The special features of construction orcom binations of partsconstituting myinvention are fully set forth and specifically claimedhereinafter. l,

In the accompanying dr wings, Figurel is a sectional plan view of anengine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on theline (Z a, Fig. 1.; and Figs. 3 and 4 are face views of certain camstructures ofthe engine.

The fixedframe of the engine is represented I at 1, and this frame hassecurely attached to 0 it at one end a central hollow shaft 2, which isdivided by a transverse partition 3 into two chambers 4: and '5, theformer constituting a chamber for the reception of lubricant and thechamber 5 representing the exhaustchamber of the engine.

The cylinder structure of the engine is carried by a hub 6 and by atubular shaft 7, both of which are free to turn on the shaft 2, theshaft 7 also having a bearing in the hub of an 1 o annular rack 9, whichis fixedly secured to the frame 1 by bolts and nuts or in any otheravailable manner. 1 g

The outer endsof'the cylinders 11 are carried by a flange 8 on the shaft7, and the in- 5 nor head 10 of the cylinder structure of the engineforms part of the hub 6, there being in the present instance fourcylinders 11, each open at the outer 'endand containing a trunk-Vpiston'12, which is connected "by a rod 13 to a crank-pin on a pinionI4,'which meshes with the annular rack 9 and has a short shaft inder andalso communicating through an serial No. 63,241. (No model.)

free to turn in a bearing on the tubular shaft ,7, as shown in Fig. 1,whereby as the pistons 12- reciprocate in the cylinders 11 rotatingmovement will be imparted to the pinions 14:, and the latter by reasonof their engagement with the fixed rack 9 will be caused to travelaround the latter and will thus cause the cylinder structure of theengine and the hollow shaft 7 to rotate around the axis of the cen- 6otral shaft 2, the shaft 7-being the means of transmitting the power ofthe engine.

Suitable openings inthe. shaft 2 serve to permit the lubricant thereinto gain access to the bearing between said shaft and the shaft 7. L a VEach of the'cyhnders 11 is provided with lateralcircumferential ribs, asshown inFig. 1, so as topresent a large area of radiatingsurface, whichas itis' carried around rapidly through the air iwill be cooled therebyand will thus serve to maintain the cylinders in the cool conditionnecessitated by the requirements of an engine of the explosive type.

The head 10 of the cylinder structure contains a series of combinedinduction and eduction passages 15, one for each of the cylinders 11,each of these passages communicatingwith the inner end of its respectivecylopening controlled by a valve 16 with a supply-chamber 17, containedin a hollow head 19,'sec ured to the cylinder-head structure 10 androtating therewith, said head 19 turning upon a sleeve 20, which isfixedly mounted upon the end frame 1 of the engine and has ports 21,through which the chamber 17 can communicate with a space 22,intervening between thesleeve 20 and the central shaft 2, this space 22beingin communication with a carbureter 23, Fig. 2, mounted upon thefixed frame 1 andv having an air-inlet 2 and a valve 25 controlling theinlet of oil or. gas from a supply-pipe 26, which communicates with anyadjacent reservoir in which said oil or gas is maintained underpressure. If the engine is intended to use gasolene or otherhydrocarbon, the carbureter23, by preference, contains a series ofperforated disks 27 or other means for insuring intimate admixture ofthe hydrocarbon and air, so as to properlylvaporize said hydrocarbon,and thus produce an explosive mixture for use in the engine.

The stem of each of the valves16 passes through a suitable bearingin'the head 19 and is acted upon by a cam on the fixed frame 1 of theengine, so as to be opened at the proper time during the rotation of thevalves 34,,one for each cylinder of the en cylinder structure, closingof the valve being effected by the action of a spring 31 upon a gine,the stems of these valves being acted upon by cams 35 on a structure 36,fixedly. mounted on the shaft 2,'so that said valves- 34 will also beopened at the proper time during the rotation of the cylinder structure,the closing of each valve being effected by the action of a spring 37 ona flange or collar 39 on the valve-stem, as shown in Fig. 1.

The chamber 33 communicates with the exhaust-outlet 5 of the shaft 2through suitable ports 40, as also shown in Fig. 1.

In connection with each of the cylinders of the engine is employed anelectric'igniter, consisting of a plug 41, screwed into an opening inthe head 10 and carrying the electric terminals "of the igniter, one ofthese terminals being insulated from the other and being connected by awire 42 to a contact-block 43 on an insulating-ring 44, mounted upon thehead 19, this contact-block at a certain point in the rotation of thehead 19 coming in contact with a spring-contact finger 45 on the fixedstructure 1 of the engine. This spring-contact finger is connected toone pole of thesparking-coil employed in connection with the igniter,the other pole of said coil being connected to each of the blocks 41, sothat the spark will be produced only when the block 43 is in contactwith the finger 45.

The engine shown is of the four-cycle type that is to say, one in whichthe first outward movement of the piston in the cylinder draws into thesame the explosive mixture, which is compressed in the cylinder on thefirst inward movement of the piston, being then exploded, so as to forcethe piston outward on the active stroke, the spent gases being ejectedfrom the cylinder on the next inward movement of the piston therein.

As shown in Fig. 1, both of the pistons are at the inward limit of thestroke, the piston at the top of the view being about to make its strokefor drawing in the explosive mixture and the piston at the bottom of theview being about to make its active stroke by reason of the explosion ofthe compressed mixture contained in the inner end of the cylinder and inthe chamber 15.

In the cylinders at right angles to those shown in Fig. 1'-that is tosay, in the cylinders which are respectively at the top and bottom ofFig. 2the pistons will be at the outer end of the stroke, that in theupper cylinder having completed the drawing-in of the explosive mixtureand being about to move inward to compress the same and that in thelower cylinder having completed its activestroke and being about to moveinward to express the spent gases from the cylinder. The earns 30 and 35are so disposed as to efiect the proper movement of the valves 16and-34that is to say, during the indraft of the motive fluid the valve16 will be open and the valve 34 closed, during the compression andduring the active stroke both of said valves will be closed, and duringthe ejection of the spent gases from the cylinder the valve 34.will beopen and the valve 16 closed.

By adopting the principle of a multicylinder structure revolving arounda common axis parallel with the longitudinal axes of the cylinders I amenabled to construct a very simple and compact type of motor, since theuse of all independent cam-shafts and gearing for operating the same isrendered unnecessary, the rotation of the cylinder struc ture and itsvarious valves permitting of the use of fixed cams for operating saidvalves. Moreover, the rapid movement of the cylinders through the air socools the ribbed surfaces of the same that no special means forcirculatinga cooling agent in contact with the cylinders is required.For these reasons my engine is well adapted for employment as a motivepower for vehicles,-in which structures simplicity of construction andeconomy of space are especially desirable.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent- 1. The combination in an engine, of a series ofcylinders each with reciprocating piston therein, a cylinder-carryingstructure rotatable about an axis parallel with the axes of all thecylinders, a series of pinions each rotated by connection with thepiston of one of the cylinders and each rotating with and rotatable onthe cylinder-carrying structure, and a fixed annular rack with whichsaid pinions mesh, substantially as specified.

2. The combination in an engine, of a series of cylinders, a cylinderstructure rotatable around an axis parallel with the axes of all of saidcylinders, a series of pinions carried by said rotating cylinderstructure but rota- .table thereon on axes at right angles to its axisof rotation, a fixed annular rack with which said pinions mesh, andtrunk-pistons reciprocating in the cylinders of the engine, each of saidpistons being connected by a swinging rod to a crank-pinof one of thepinions, substantially as specified.

3. The combination in an engine,of a frame, a series of cylinders eachhaving a reciprocating piston therein, a fixed shaft parallel to theaxes of the cylinders, a cylinder structure rotatable about said shafthaving inlet and exhaust chambers for the motive fluid, valves governingthe communication between the cylinder and said inlet and exhaustchambers, and cams on the shaft and on the frame for operating saidvalves as the cylinder structure rotates, substantially as described. 4.The combination in an engine of a frame, a series of cylinders eachhaving a reciprocating piston therein, a fixed shaft parallel to theaxes of the cylinders, a cylinder structure rotatable about said shafthaving inlet and exhaust chambers for the motive fluid, springolosedvalves on the cylinder structure governing communication between thecylinders and said inlet and exhaust chambers, and fixed cams upon thesaid shaft and upon the frame, one set of said cams acting upon thestems of the inlet-valves to open the same as the cylinder structurerotates, and the other set of cams acting upon the stems of theexhaust-valves, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a fixed frame having attached to it an annularrack, a shaft carrying rotatable pinions meshing with said rack, acylinder structure fixed to the shaft, cylinders provided with pistonscarried by said structure having their axes parallel to said shaft, anda connecting-rod between each pis ton and one of the pinions wherebyreciproeating motion of the piston causes its respective pinion to moveon said rack, substantially as described.

6. The combination of a fixed frame having attached to it a beveled gearforming an annular rack, a shaft carrying beveled pinions meshing withsaid rack, a cylinder structure fixed to the shaft, cylinders providedwith pistons carried by saidstructure having their axes parallel to saidshaft and a connectingrod between each piston and one of the pinionswhereby the reciprocating motion of the pisby the reciprocating motionof the pistons results in a rotary motion of the cylinder structure withits attached shaft, substantially as described.

8. The combination in an engine of a series of cylinders, a cylinderstructure rotatable around an axis parallel with the axes of thecylinders and having inlet and exhaust chambers for the motive fluid,valves for controlling the flow of motive fluid to and from thecylinders, and a hollow fixed shaft having within it a partition atright angles to its axis whereby a chamber is formed at one end of saidshaft for containing lubricating material, and a second chamber isformed at the other end; said second chamber forming an exhaust-passageand communicating with the exhaust-chamber of the cylinder strucv ture,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARTIN T. MINOGUE.

Witnesses:

F. E. BEOHTOLD, Jos. I I. KLEIN.

